An Awfully Big Adventure
by LeParapluie
Summary: Antonio Fernandez Carriedo has always enjoyed bothering Captain Kirkland. With his trusty little friend Lovino, what can go wrong? Captain Arthur Kirkland wants one thing: return to the Mainland. To do that, he needs to fly- which Antonio is mysteriously able to do. Collab Spamano story with SonoSvegliato. A shameless Peter Pan AU set on the shores of Neverland. Own nothing!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a collab between moi (LeParapluie) and SonoSvegliato. It's a bit of a Peter Pan AU, set on the shores of Neverland. And despite current...situations...it will be a Spamano story! We'll try to upload weekly, but school might mess us up a bit. Let us know what you think please :)**

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It was too early to be dawn, but too light to still be night. The stars were faint against the fading indigo of the sky, and a gentle breeze swept through the trees. Waves lapped against the shore, and a few birds sang for nobody to hear. It was all but a peaceful morning.

Antonio Fernández Carriedo was slung along a branch, his legs dangling high above ground. Looking at him, one would have thought he was merely enjoying the sight of the horizon, attempting to see the sun rise. Maybe he was relishing in the youth of a new day, or listening to the sound of the sea.

However, the appearance of a ship dashed any of these possibilities. It cut through the waves, yielding for no one and nothing. It had an agenda all its own. It had a plan, a routine, a _schedule._

Antonio shuddered. The man that captained that ship was a disgusting creature. He patrolled the waters surrounding the island every morning and every evening, and had done so since- since, well, forever. He couldn't remember a time when the ship had failed to appear on the horizon. It annoyed him to no end.

" _Oye,_ Lovi," he whispered, smiling. "You want to have some fun?" He received a hearty kick to the neck by a little foot. "Aww, don't be like that." He picked up the little fairy by his tiny collar and set him on top of his head. "You should wait to curse until at least the sun comes up." His ears rang as the fairy spat and shook and stomped. For such a cute looking creature, Lovino sure could curse like a sailor. At least, that was what it sounded like. Lovi's language was that of a ringing of a bell. It made no sense to him, and he only understood him by his generous facial expressions and colorful hand gestures.

" _You're going to get yourself killed, bastard,"_ he imagined the fairy grumbling.

"Killed?" he scoffed. "Nonsense. I'll die when the land does." The fairy hrumphed, giving him a half-hearted kick to his temple. "I'm just going to say _buenos días."_

" _And I'm going to be nice."_

"Don't come," he suggested. "You don't have to follow me around everywhere if you don't want to. No one's forcing you to stay with me."

Another string of ring-ring-rings, though softer. He felt Lovino's tiny hands knot in his hair, and he set a finger atop his head. The fairy bit him.

" _Ow!_ Lovi, that hurt."

" _Don't call me that, idiot!"_

No, Antonio did not understand Lovino at all. The fairy obviously disliked him, and while Antonio never asked him to stay, he never left. He just settled -steaming- back in the crook of his neck. He could be in the middle of a good fight, yet the fairy refused to fly much more than a few meters away from him.

 _Ay,_ maybe he was a sprite. Sprites were ruthless little buggers. Set one foot into their territory, and they'd chase one for miles like a swarm of killer bees. He managed to find a nest once- Lovino had bit him so hard he let the pixie have his way and left.

He pushed himself up, marching down the length of the branch. His heart leapt up in his throat with every step, but he swallowed his fear and spread out his arms with another wide smile.

He keeled forwards and, whooping, fell into a graceful dive. The water grew increasingly closer with each second; a few more and he'd hit the waves with a resounding smack-

He pulled up just as he felt the spray of seawater splash upon his nose, going so fast he brought an arc of water up with him.

" _Stop doing that, you bastard!"_ Lovino jingled in his ear.

"Aw, _lo siento, mi tomate pequeño._ Did you get your wings wet?"

" _Me!_ You _got my wings wet, you bastard!"_

Antonio laughed, speeding towards the ship. It was a small dark dot on the water, and hedrifted lower to the earth. He noticed with a frown that not many of the crew were out this morning. A pity, really. He was in the mood to play.

He squinted at the bow. A man stood stock-still, looking out on the young sunlight glittering on the rolling swells. He wore a dark red coat, complete with black cuffs and collar. From his hat sprouted a large feather, which he fingered absentmindedly as he contemplated the new day. His other hand was settled on the hilt of a sheathed sword.

Antonio cupped his hands around his mouth, Lovino pulling at his collar. _"Hola, Captain!"_

The head jerked up, and bushy eyebrows drew down over bright green eyes. "Ah, Carriedo. What a surprise to see you here."

"It's just to make your day."

The captain scowled. "Your 'surprises' are more like the ones one gets when seagulls are flying around. You do not need to ruin my morning, fairy-boy."

"Fairy-boy!" Antonio clucked, swimming circles above him. "Why are you so irritable?"

"Perhaps it is your irritating presence. Just a hypothesis, though."

Antonio flipped onto his back. "Hmm. An interesting one. I assume you've waiting for me, considering you must have left one of the red-heads at the wheel. Rhys?"

"It doesn't matter who mans my ship, and I'd prefer you don't pry into my own matters."

"Ah, but what is so interesting than the words that come out of the great Captain Kirkland's mouth! What are you looking for today, good sir?"

It was obvious, really. They both knew he was doing it just to annoy Arthur, but the Briton refused to amuse someone as maddening as _Carriedo._ "The same thing I was looking for yesterday and the same thing I'll probably look for tomorrow."

Antonio nodded, lips twitching in the beginnings of a knowing smirk. "Pixie Hollow."

"The island changes with each new day. And one day- _one day-_ I'll be granted with the grace of finding it. It's only a matter of time."

"You're very odd."

The captain ignored him. "Of course, it would be a whole lot easier if you told me where it was."

"Would it? I hadn't thought of that." They'd been over this countless times. Arthur brought it up each time Antonio came to bother him.

"You've seen it before. Surely there's a way of getting there."

"Surely," he agreed, creeping closer.

The captain brought his hand up to his face and clenched it into a fist. "I'm still offering you the chance to become a part of my crew. You can travel the Mainland with me. Just think of it, Antonio. New lands to explore, new wealth to use, so many new things to discover! All I need is-"

At this moment, Antonio swept his hat from his head and hurtled out of reach with a bright laugh. "Pixie dust!" he exclaimed in a terrible British accent. "Look, I'm you! _Come on, Antonio. Join me, Captain Arthur Kirkland! Sacrifice the lives of thousands of mythical creatures so I can be rich! Huhuk, huhuk, huhuk!"_

Arthur's face reddened with rage. "Give that back, you imbecile!"

Antonio merely continued his charade. _"And what do I need the Pixie Dust for? To get back to the Mainland! If I can just fly up to the second star on the right, then I'll get there! Blah blah blah, blah blah blah!"_

" _Carriedo!"_

Antonio stuck his tongue out. "What's the matter, Captain?"

Arthur seethed, and he drew his sword waving it in the air. "You just wait. One day- one day- one day I'm going to get you!"

"Get me?" Antonio gasped in mock horror. "I'm oh-so-very terrified." He tossed the hat, sending it spinning towards the ship's captain and knocking him on the head.

"You just wait!" he heard Arthur call as he flew away, laughing. "One day! One day!"

Ha! _Let me know when One Day comes!_

* * *

 **Three words: TINY. FAIRY. LOVINO.**

 **Please let us know what you think! Reviews (even hate ones!) are much appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**LeParapluie and Sveg are back!**

 **Thanks so much for the review, JustAGuest! We hope this next chapter is exciting- it was definitely a lot of fun to write, so hopefully it's going to be fun to read :)**

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Captain Arthur Kirkland shoved his sword back into its scabbard, heaving, his face hot with anger. Damn that over-grown pixie! He was so- so- so _infuriating._

He jammed his hat firmly on his head, scanning the sky to make sure Antonio had not remained for a second ambush. Once satisfied that he was gone, he sighed and turned from the bow, quickly settling into a tense pacing down the deck. He flung his arm up at the lookout, shielding his eyes from the rising sun.

"Why on earth didn't you shoot him?" he exclaimed to the figure above him.

"Have some good sense, Arthur. If I shot him, his dead body's either flopping on the deck or in the water."

"We're not going to _kill_ him. We're merely evening out the odds."

"Why are you so set on grounding him?"

"To talk. I need to somehow get some Pixie Dust- and large amounts of it, might I add- to get this ship flying to the Mainland. It's not fair that that boy gets to go whenever it pleases him."

"Life isn't fair, Arthur."

"Do me a favor and shut your trap, Reilley."

There had to be some reason Antonio could fly. He knew that he wasn't a fairy or sprite or spirit- at least, he thought he wasn't. He didn't have the short blond hair of Vash's tribe, nor did he have the shimmering aura of a phantom like Gilbert. So what was it? He was just a normal human being, just like him. To fly, he needed Pixie Dust. He had to get it from somewhere, and Arthur had long ago figured out that it must be from Pixie Hollow. He'd also found out that, no matter how long or hard he negotiated, Antonio would never tell him where it was.

"Talk to your fairy friends," he'd laugh, flying away.

He didn't have 'fairy friends'. He lived in close association with spirits and had learned to get along with the sprites, and of course one can't sail the seas without ever seeing a mermaid. But the fairies hid themselves well, and if they did not want to be found, then they would not be found.

"You know, if you want to find Alfred sooner, you should make me captain."

Arthur sighed heavily. "Peter, I don't have time for this." All other captains would killed Peter outright for his frank announcements of mutiny, but it's hard to take the boy seriously when the tween cried every time seaweed touched his leg when he went swimming.

"Oi, just finish swabbing the deck or go back to yer cabin, Peter." Alistair barked, emerging from out under the deck.

"I told you, it's the future captain's office! And call me Master Captain!"

Alistair muttered something like "mutinous kids these days" and went to fiddle with the sail.

"At least give me some responsibility to take some of the load off your back. I know, I can shave your beard!" Peter exclaimed.

"No!" Arthur shouted, causing the other crew members to look their way. He cleared his throat. "I mean, thank you ever so kindly, Peter, but I'm afraid I've already shaved today." What he really meant: _I don't feel comfortable letting you come near me with sharp blades._

"That's okay! I can comb your eyebrows!"

Captain Kirkland thought for a moment. Grooming his beloved caterpillars did not involve things that could potentially make him bleed. Combs were relatively safe objects.

"Yes, I suppose you could do that."

Peter hurriedly brought him a chair to sit in. "This way you can let your legs over the boat to feel the sea spray," he had said.

Arthur leaned his head back and let Peter care for his brows. Maybe this time, the boy actually did want to do something nice for his captain. He began to relax, slowly. This is what Arthur needed: to unwind, and then back to finding Alfred…no, don't think about that, he couldn't break down in front of his crew…

Arthur felt Peter's hands clamp down on his shoulder. Was this a signal to calm down? _Thanks, Peter, I shouldn't have doubted your kindness._

But Peter's hand didn't leave, but instead tightened, as if he was holding Arthur down. What in the seven seas- he no longer felt sea spray though his toes, but instead felt fingers.

"O hon hon hon, _bonjour mon petit lapin_."

The mighty and powerful captain of the ship _The Queen_ screamed. Like a little girl. He scrambled up his chair, yanking his foot away from the intruder and knocking down Peter in the process.

" _Je suis désolé, mon cher_ ; I did not mean to scare you." The whites of Arthur's eyes showed as he took in the sight of -dear Poseidon, help him- _Francis._

"OUT YOU FROG! GET THE BLOODY HELL AWAY FROM ME AND MY SHIP!"

" _Bien-aimé!_ I've told you, I am no frog," Francis sniffed. "Do you think frogs have beautiful scales like this?" His shimmering metallic cobalt tail flicked water up in the air; droplets hit Captain Kirkland in the face. He hissed like it burned. He wanted nothing to do with the blond-haired merman _twat._

"I DON'T CARE! GO BACK TO THE WATERY DEPTHS YOU CAME FROM!"

"Of, course mon cher, but not without you."

Arthur reached for the closest thing-which happened to be a scone-and threw it at Francis.

"Darling!" Francis gasped. "Do you wish to stone me?!"

Arthur reached for another.

"Alright, alright, mon cher, I'm going. Is it that time of month? I be sure to come back later to make you the finest crabcake, which will take your mind off the awful cramps you must be having-"

"LEAVE!" Arthur shouted, and threw the second scone. Francis quickly submerged himself before he could get hit. As Arthur stood there at the edge of the boat and caught his ragged breath, Francis popped his head out again.

"Manperiod." He smirked.

The sound of Arthur's cursing could be heard throughout Neverland.

* * *

The sound of a poorly played guitar resounded throughout the forest.

Antonio returned to land not unscathed. He was fairly sure he'd have a large bruise where Romano had kicked him repeatedly.

"Shush," he interrupted Romano's angry jingling, trying to listen to the "music." This only made the pixie ring harder.

"Shush!" Antonio said again, but this time he clamped (gently, as to not to crush him) a hand over Romano to mute his heated rant.

He skimmed over the ground and landed softly in the grass, inching forwards tree by tree. Yes, that was definitely a guitar. He'd recognize the thrumming strings anywhere- however, its player was making it sound tortured.

There was a little orange light bleeding out from a little hollow in the rise of a hill, and he figured that this was, in fact, where the unholy noise was coming from. He turned to Romano and put a finger to his lips. The fairy fluttered behind him, settling for sticking out his tongue when he thought he wasn't looking.

He padded closer, ducking around a tree trunk and leaning forwards in order to hear.

"Stop playing that!" someone hissed.

The strumming paused. "Why?"

"Because that's _his_ guitar. He could come back any minute, and then we'll all be in trouble!"

"Well, he ain't here now. And nobody plays music. I want to hear the sound of music."

"That's not the sound of music! That's the sound of how you're going to get us all killed!"

"Nonsense!" Antonio declared as he burst from his hiding spot. "That's the sound of home!"

"Antonio!" both of the Lost Boys said in unison.

" _Buenos días_ , Elizabeta! _Buenos días_ , Alfred!" he greeted. He crouched down and let Alfred run into his arms. Antonio laughed warmly and set the little blond boy on his shoulders.

"Good morning, Antonio!" the boy answered brightly.

"Jó reggelt, Antonio. I had nothing to do with this," Elizabeta asserted quickly, pointing to the guitar.

"There's nothing wrong with a little music," he stated. He took the guitar in his hands and Alfred slid off of him once Antonio went to sit down in the Easter egg-green grass. Lovino grudgingly landed on his shoulder. The Spaniard patted the spot next to him to summon the hesitant Eliza.

"Where's Roddy? He'd enjoy this," Antonio said.

"He's with the Tribe," Elizabeta answered. "He smelled the cake that I'm guessing Lilli made."

Antonio nodded. "Ah." No one questioned how Roderich smelled the cake. He was like a bloodhound when it came to getting his pastry.

"Well," Antonio began, changing the subject. "First thing we should probably start with in learning to play the guitar is the E minor chord…"

Antonio had only begun to play the next note, the C major chord, when heavy gasps covered the guitar's sound and a boy, red in the face, erupted from the trees.

"R-roddy?" Elizabeta said in disbelief. The boy responded by falling to his knees, his coffee-brown hair limp and dripping with sweat.

"Roderich!" the Spaniard hurried to his side, helping him into a sitting position. "Roderich! _Qué sucedió?_ Are you okay?"

The boy heaved and nodded his head, brushing sweaty bangs from his forehead. Something awful must have happened- Roderich could hardly walk faster than a turtle; running was something out of the question for the child.

"Catch your breath, catch your breath. What was it? Was it the Captain? Did you run into the mermaids again? I told you not to go to the lagoon! Sure, Tino sounds sweet, but he'll drown you just as soon as he'll hug you!"

Roderich shook his head. "N-no. It's worse than- worse than mermaids."

His eyes widened. "But you're terrified of sea creatures!"

The boy sucked in another huge gulp of air. "It's Gilbert."

Confusion replaced his fear. "Gilbert?"

"Y-yes. It's awful. It's terrible. I-I can hardly stand the thought-"

"Just spit it out already," Elizabeta snapped. "You've sent us all into a panic for a harmless phantom?"

"Gilbert's a little scary," Alfred mumbled, his hands tight in Antonio's shirt.

Roderich shook his head. "Gilbert's found a-"

He shuddered, and the others waited anxiously for the rest. When he finally managed to finish, there was a moment of stunned silence. Roderich spoke true: it was awful, it was terrible, it was so horrible they could barely stand to think of it, that horrendous possibility.

"Gilbert's found a kid."

* * *

 ** _"bonjour mon petit lapin_."- "Hello, my little rabbit." (French)**

 **" _Je suis désolé, mon cher"-_ "I'm sorry, my dear." (French)**

 **" _Bien-aimé!"-_ "Beloved!" (French)**

 **mon cher- my dear (French)**

 ** _Buenos días-_ Good morning (Spanish)**

 **Jó reggelt- Good morning (Questionable Hungarian courtesy of Google Translate)**

 **(For once this wasn't me (Sveg) doing the language translations, so if there's something wrong take it up with the umbrella.)**

 **Gilbert will soon make reappearance...as will certain OTHER characters...**

 **Hasta una vez próxima (Until next time),**

 **SonoSvegliato (a.k.a. the UPLOADER)**

 **LeParapluie (a.k.a. the one that makes Sveg do the editing).**


	3. Chapter 3

**School is starting back up soon, so uploading may get even more erratic. But you never know, you never know!**

 **We also finally learned how to write together using Google Docs. This experience consisted of** **pteradactyl noises and small disputes. First random info of the day (because with me (Sveg) as the uploader, of course there is).**

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Antonio gripped the boy's shoulders. "Where, Roderich? Where is he?"

"I-I saw him while I was walking here. Coming back from the Tribe."

He was off like a shot, hurtling north as fast as he could. Lovino could only hold on for dear life, clutching a piece of his hair tightly as the wind threatened to send him flying off with no chance of catching up.

" _Slow the f*ck down!"_ He jangled angrily, but Antonio was unable to hear him. The Tribe's camp had come into sight. Red and white tents spotted the crest of the hill, and people dotted the clearing like ants.

He made a less-than-graceful landing in the center, oblivious to the shouts of surprise from the tribesmen as he rolled straight into a tent, crashing through the wooden beams and making it collapse. He scurried out, tangling himself in the rough cloth and scrambling away.

 _"Goddammit, Carriedo!"_

Mierde mierde mierde. He looked up and found himself staring into burning green eyes.

Vash Zwingli, chief of the Tribe, towered over him. He heard the chief's gun click and knew that he had switched off the safety. He aimed the barrel right between the Spaniard's eyes.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing, crashing in uninvited and sending the camp into chaos?"

"Not now, Vash. Have you seen Gilbert?"

The chief's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Listen, Zwingli. This is something very bad, and it's crucial I find the phantom. Roderich was over here earlier and saw him. Where'd he go?"

"I'm not telling you anything until you replace that tent. That's Lars's, and I expect you don't want to upset him."

Lars did give him the creeps, but the thought that Gilbert was around somewhere, scarring a _niño_ with his- with his _presence_ scared him more.

"Vash, Vash, Vash. I know we're not on good terms. I'm sorry I did fireworks so close to you're camp- but look on the bright side, it was only four tents."

"One of those being our _medical_ tent. I have half a mind to shoot you."

Before he could react, Lovino was grabbed and thrust out before the Tribe's chief.

"You wouldn't hurt a fairy, would you?" Antonio pouted. "Poor little Lovi, who hasn't done anything to you?" **(A/N: RIP ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO.)**

Vash's face twisted- the Tribe had a strict policy on interactions with magical creatures. To injure him would mean committing a serious taboo, but Carriedo had intruded…

While the Swiss thought, Lovino jingled out a stream of curses, kicking and pounding his tiny fists on the bigger one that trapped him. He finally sank his teeth into Antonio's finger- the Spaniard tensed, but didn't let go despite how the fairy had drawn blood.

"What's so important that you'd risk your sorry life?" Vash finally asked. "What has the phantom done?"

"Gilbert's got a kid."

Vash didn't hesitate. He turned around and began to bark out orders. "Kiku! Get the shaman, _now_. Tell him to bring his oracle bones."

"Yes, sir," the man replied, and took off.

"Last time I saw Gilbert he was approximately one kilometer south and 750 meters west from the perimeter of the camp, but he was moving steadily away. If you run directly diagonal, that would be about 1250 meters, or about 6 minutes, 15 seconds running from when I last saw him. Or, I suppose, faster if you fly. How fast-"

Vash's calculations were interrupted by angry grumbling. "Why you interrupt my tea? Stupid kids. Respect your elders, I say. I too old to walk around like this."

Vash bowed quickly and apologized. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Elder Yao, but we need your oracle bones to tell us where Gilbert is."

Yao was still grumbling as he poured the bag of bones out onto his hands."Bu Nǎlǐ Gilbert." Of course, all Antonio understood was the name.

"Aiyaa!"

"What is it, Elder Yao? Is something wrong-"

"You make old man stumble around for this, aru? You don't check Gilbert's house fir-"

"Por supuesto! His house! Thanks, amigo!" Antonio lifted off, ignoring Yao's shouts.

"You a disrespectful bèn dàn! Come back here!"

The Spaniard was so deeply in his thoughts, though, that he almost fell when Lovino gave another nasty bite.

"Lo siento, Lovi. I forgot I still had you in my hand." And then, he made the fatal mistake of letting him go.

The pixie immediately took a huge chunk from his ear, biting and scrabbling and kicking with all his might. Who was the Spaniard to just _grab_ him and use him as a _f*cking shield?_ He was a fairy, dammit! A magical creature! Show some respect! But noooo, Antonio was a f*ckwad and once he landed he'd do a hell of a lot more than just leave teethmarks in his ear. He'd- He'd- He'd pull out the hair from his nose!

Antonio slowed as began to descend and reached up for his fairy. Really? He wanted to play that game again? Yeah, right! He'd bite off Antonio's whole finger if he so much as touched him one more time.

"Roderich says he saw Gilbert with a kid," the Spaniard reminded him. He'd have to maul him later- the Potato Phantom could _not_ have a child. That's why Antonio was the flying savior. Gilbert would so much as drop a kid on his head than actually help. Dumb German ghost. Lovino stopped kicking, but remained in his spot behind Antonio's ear, his minuscule nails digging into the soft, slightly-bloody skin. Just to remind him that he was still there.

Antonio landed before the phantom's house and immediately burst through the door. _"Gilbert! ¡No mueve!"_

"Hmm? Oh, _hallo,_ Antonio." The phantom sat at his table calmly, taking a sip from his mug of hot chocolate. "Impeccable timing. Have you met my new little brother Ludwig?"

"Oh, Dios mio," Antonio gasped, falling to his knees and opening up his arms to the small boy at Gilbert's side. "Come here, little _niño._ I won't let the _cerebro de salchicha_ scare you anymore!"

Gilbert slammed his mug onto the table. "Hey! Don't steal him! I'm drinking chocolate water instead of-" he glanced at Ludwig, and then lowered his voice. "You know, a grown up drink."

"Gilbert?" Ludwig questioned. The poor kid looked very uncomfortable and it could be easily observed that he had no idea what was going on.

"Ah, sorry _liebes Brüderchen_. This is Antonio, the _Lutscher_."

"Oh," Ludwig said, still a little confused since Gilbert just insulted the man. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Antonio. My name is Ludwig."

"Ah, _mi niño_! Ther'es no need to call me 'mister!' Just Antonio is fine!" Antonio gasped dramatically. "Oh, and I almost forgot! This is Lovino," he introduced, pulling the fairy from his shoulder.

Ludwig froze and inhaled sharply. "That's not possible," he breathed, referring to the fairy.

Antonio chuckled. "Nothing's impossible in Neverland! Just wait until you see the mermaids. But I suggest not getting to close, since they play a little rough-"

"No, no," Ludwig said. "You don't understand. Your fairy looks just like Feliciano."

The boy reached into the pocket of his shirt and displayed his hand, where cupped in his palm was a fairy.

Antonio barely had time to get a glance at Ludwig's pixie before the slight creature had leapt up from Ludwig's hand and barreled into Lovino.

"Ah! Feliciano, stop that! Sorry, he just gets really excited sometimes," Ludwig directed at Antonio.

"Are they fighting? I've never seen a fairy fight before. Fight Fight Fight-" Gilbert stopped his chant when he remembered that he had a kid. He corrected himself. "Er…I hope they don't hurt each other."

"No, I don't think they're fighting…" Antonio commented. He looked closely-yes, Ludwig was right. Feliciano _did_ look just like Lovino, except Feliciano seemed the lighter version of his Lovi, and his ring-ring-ring was different. If Lovi's ring was of a bell, Feliciano's was the sound of a music box- different tones and pitches that mixed together into a melody.

"…Well, I mean at least Feliciano isn't fighting," Antonio finished. No, Feliciano was instead attempting to glomp on Lovino, but the latter refused to have any of it. He watched his fairy push away with what he noticed was a half-hearted stream of curses. "Do they maybe know each other?"

"Perhaps." Ludwig attempted to pry Feliciano off of Lovino. "Feliciano, one second. Straighten up, please. Ah, Lovino, please don't hunch over, do you mind unfolding your wings?"

Lovino looked away with a huff, his arms firmly crossed across his chest. _"How about no?"_

"Puh _lease,_ Lovi?"

The fairy's eyes darted to Antonio, and his frown deepened. _"No."_

Feliciano jingled, and with a resigned sigh, Lovino spread his wings. The pixies stood back to back with each other, Ludwig's bright and smiling and Antonio's reluctant and brooding.

Gilbert snorted. "Aw, Lovino's so _small."_

" _You wanna say that again, buttcheek zit?"_ Lovino spat.

"Do you see it?"

"The curls? Yes! Oh, so adorable, it's a heart!"

"No, no. The wings. The patterns match. Do you know what that means?"

Antonio gasped. "Her _man_ aaaaas!"

"What? No, they're both male. Brothers."

"Her _man_ ooooos!"

"Oh," Gilbert remarked. "Fairies can be dudes? I was wondering why Lovino didn't have any b-" he glanced at Ludwig- "uh, baked goods."

* * *

 **For the Chinese insults: LeParapluie did those. I asked her what they meant and she said probably 'egghead'. So there we go, because I'm (SonoSvegliato) still the Uploader/Editor. Oh, the duties of the Royal Humorist are such a _draaagggg._**

 **mierde- shit (Spanish)**

 ** _cerebro de salchicha-_** **Sausage brain (Spanish)**

 **_liebes Brüderchen-_ dear little brother (German. Hopefully right, since this was also the umbrella's.)**

 ** _Lutscher-_ Sissy (German, also the umbrella's.)**

 **Yay, Feliciano and Lovino! And Gilbert! And small Ludwig! Hooray!**

 **Bonus: Conversation that happened while writing this chapter:**

 **SS:"Buttcheek…what?"**

 **LP:"I don't know, what's gross on a buttcheek?"**

 **SS: "…You know, most people look up stab wounds and blood and stuff as writers. We're asking things like what's gross on a buttcheek."**

 **LP:…DIARRHEA**

 **SS:No!**

 **You are very much welcome.**

 ***bows* Hasta tenemos ganas de él. (Until we feel like it).**

 **LeParapluie**

 **SonoSvegliato (Woah why can't I keep Author Notes short? I apologize.)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sooooo...haven't uploaded in a while...Apologies. To make up for it, pretty sure this is the longest chapter yet.**

 **Thanks for all the interest in this story! It's always super nice to see new review, follows, and favorites. Thank you thank you thank you!**

* * *

"Antonio!" Alfred exclaimed, leaping up only to hug the Spaniard's legs. "You're alive!"

Antonio chuckled and ruffled the little boy's hair. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Cause you faced a ghost! And ghosts are scary!"

"Gilbert's anything but scary," Roderich cut in. "He's just stupid."

Elizabeta began to nod in agreement, but froze. "Antonio," she gasped. "I don't see the kid! Antonio, _please_ tell me you saved the poor thing."

"Err…" Antonio rubbed the back of his neck. "Ludwig-that's the kid's name-seemed to actually like to be with Gilbert."

There was a collective gasp.

"No, no, it's not as bad as you think! Gil even stopped drinking his beer!"

"Well then Gilbert's really sick! We need to go over then and-"

Antonio managed to stop Elizabeta from barging after the Germans. "No, Ludwig's already experienced enough drama today, I think." His smile never faltered. "Besides, I already invited Ludwig over for a playdate tomorrow."

Well, he really forced Gilbert to bring Ludwig over tomorrow. It was just a precaution- Antonio needed to be completely sure Gilbert wouldn't botch this whole "big brother" thing up. His nerves were already frayedwith the thought that he'd left the child in the phantom's care.

"And you're sure he'll be okay?" Alfred murmured, his hands tight in the Spaniard's shirt. Antonio gave him a smile that showed more confidence than he felt.

"It'll be fine. He has Feli."

"Feli?"

"Yeah! Feliciano is Ludwig's fairy. He's Lovino's brother!"

"Really?" all the Lost Boys' eyes turned to Lovino, who crossed his arms and pretended not to enjoy the attention.

Alfred gave the fairy a dazzling smile. "Lovino, I'm so happy for you! You found your family!" He truly did seem excited for him.

" _Feli's a pain in my ass."_

"Aww, Lovi, don't be like that. You should be nice to your brother. He sure seemed glad to see you."

"Yeah, Lovi," Alfred said, seemingly oblivious to the glare Lovino sent at him when he heard his atrocious nickname. "You never know, something might happen to your family and you'll never see them again and you'll miss them very much…" He trailed off before going completely quiet.

"It's alright, Alfred, we're your family now, sí?" Antonio shook the little boy's hair, and Alfred's brilliant smile returned.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed."So, Lovino, are you the youngest or oldest?" Alfred had a gift for changing the subject quickly when his past was brought up. Antonio had once asked about it, but the Spaniard was met with incoherent mumblings that soon turned to silence. He hadn't asked again.

" _I'm older. And stronger. And more handsome."_

"Really, Lovi? _You're_ the oldest? You looked so short compared to Feliciano…"

" _Uh oh, what's this? Do I have sharp teeth? It would be such a shame should you wake up one night without a tongue."_

"Not around the children," Antonio complained. "Why don't you be nice?"

The fairy flew from his shoulder to a branch in response, with a signature huff.

"Well, alright. Be that way. Let's go then, Boys! I'm the mood for some supper, with a side of adventure! Who wants to see what's up with Francis?"

"No thanks." Nice or not, Francis was a sea creature- no way Roderich was getting close. Merpeople had a reputation for drowning little children! Roderich opted to hang around Lilli again.

"Macka'roons!" Alfred cried. "Maybe he made Macka'roons!"

"You want crepes, not macaroons. Crepes!"

Antonio flew above them, laughing. He took their hands and pulled them up with him. "Then let's go!"

Lovino watched them shoot off, Alfred and Elizabeta holding tight to Antonio's hands. He watched Dust spark and swirl from them before it floated down to nothing but a passing breeze. He heard one of the children laugh, and then Antonio join in. Such loud, barking sounds the humans made. It had taken a fair amount of time to get used to it.

He flew over when he saw his human pretend to drop the children.

* * *

"Wow, so you're Ludwig! You're so cute!" Eliza squealed, pinching the younger boy's cheeks.

"What, no hello for me?" Gilbert frowned.

Eliza ignored the phantom which resulted in the man giving a very dramatic huff.

"So I'm Elizabeta and this is Roderich, and him way over there hiding in the bushes is Alfred." She lowered her voice and rattled on, pointing at Gilbert. "You must have a death wish if you're willingly living with that lunatic."

" _Hey."_

"You are a lunatic, Gil. Everyone knows that," Roderich said haughtily, which led to a failed stifled laugh from Antonio.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Ludwig greeted, albeit a little awkwardly. He shifted his feet and, realizing he was doing so, stopped and clasped his hands behind his back. "And Gilbert has actually been very nice to me."

Elizabeta shrugged.

Ludwig glanced over to the poorly hidden Alfred. "Why is he hiding?"

"Oh, Al's deathly afraid of ghosts. He's still a scaredy cat, no matter how many times Gilbert has proven himself stupid beyond all compare and not at all frightening."

Antonio attempted to urge the boy into view, patting his knees and persuading him that Gilbert wasn't even tangible. Alfred was convinced Gilbert's benignity was all an act. The Lost Boys and Ludwig watched this with a certain amount of amusement.

"Where's Feli?" Antonio asked curiously. Ludwig opened his pocket and murmured, "you can come out now," to which the fairy leapt gracefully out into the open, which led to a chorus of _awws_ from the children.

"Doesn't he look just like Lovi? Hey, Alfie, come meet Feli!" Antonio attempted to get the boy out from his hiding place. Alfred took the bait, creeping slowly towards the rest of the group while keeping a close eye on Gilbert. He only looked away from the phantom to glance at Feliciano.

"Lovino, you should have told us you had a brother!" Alfred said to the other pixie that rested on his golden head. Lovino huffed for the umpteenth time that day.

Antonio waggled a finger at him. "Ah, so that's where you've been sulking."

Lovino stuck his tongue out at the Spaniard. His focus, however was turned away once Feliciano fluttered cheerfully to rest his dainty little feet on Alfred's hair to twitter away to his fratello.

" _Isn't it wonderful?"_ Feliciano clapped his hands. " _I'm so excited! I was beginning to think I'd never find you! Nonno is so worried, and so was I, but it's all okey-dokey now, isn't it? Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it wonderful?_

Lovino flew to the safety of Antonio's head. Feliciano didn't follow him, opting to be the center of attention.

His chest burned. Damn him. Damn them all. What was so great about Feliciano, anyway? The children had never fawned over _him._

"Have you seen the mermaids yet, Ludwig?" Antonio asked suddenly, oblivious to the fairy's fists tight in his hair. The boy shook his head.

The Spaniard smiled. "Well, then we have to go there! Vámanos!"

Alfred hopped up and down. "Mathias! We've got to go see Mathias; he promised to show me how to do a flip!"

Antonio shot a look to his number one- Elizabeta. _Don't let him drown._

The girl put on a serious face and nodded. _Alfred or Mathias?_

Roderich shivered. "But…"

"It's okay; you can sit on the beach, away from Mathias and all them. What do you think, Ludwig? You want to meet the mermaids? You'll like the Five; Tino's the only one you have to watch out for. Ah, but Michelle! Prettiest jewel of the ocean. She's safe, too. Lives with Francis- he's a good amigo- they don't believe in drowning people."

Ludwig's eyes slid to Elizabeta. He'd observed that she was the one to take charge. Alfred was much too immature and Roderich much too pompous. "Er, I suppose…"

Elizabeta nodded.

"I suppose that would be perfect. If it's no inconvenience to you, of course."

Antonio's smile widened, and he shook his head. "No, no! It's our pleasure, right Boys?"

"Yeah!" Alfred and Elizabeta cried.

"Mermaids," Roderich mumbled fearfully. Elizabeta cuffed the side of his head. "I mean, yes, our pleasure."

Antonio bowed. "Then Lovi, _por favor._ "

Lovino growled at the nickname. The children looked to him expectantly. Mooching little bastards.

"Lovi," Antonio pleaded. "Please?"

 _"Use your own,"_ he jangled.

"But I think the children want to fly by themselves. If not for me, then for them?"

 _Hmph._

He wasn't in the particular mood to be grabbed and then shook for his Dust, and so therefore had no choice but to oblige, flying above the children's head and allowing a shower of gold to settle atop their hair. He did, however, completely skip Ludwig. He didn't even make it look like an accident. The German boy was _fine_ other than the fact that he smelled like Gilbert's house (beer and sausages), but he had brought _Feli-ci-f*cking-ano_ with him.

He settled into the crook of Antonio's neck, digging his nails into his skin with a snort of finality.

" _Lo_ vi _no,"_ his goddamn bastard scolded. Scolded! After he had given up some of his precious Dust! The _nerve._ "Get up and apologize to Ludwig!"

"It's alright, Feliciano can do it for me," the boy said.

"That's no excuse for his behavior. Lovino, _¡dile 'lo siento' a Ludwig!"_

Lovino crossed his arms and spat out another curse. He watched Feliciano flutter happily around the human, laughing. _Laughing._ What was so fun about giving up Dust? Maybe watching the children flail about chanting 'happy thoughts'- Roderich was barely able to get off the ground, while Alfred was clinging to Elizabeta for dear life. But the German boy was apparently used to Dust. He didn't kick (Elizabeta), or flap his arms (Alfred), or worry about the effects of flight on a weak digestive system (Roderich). No, Ludwig appeared to have as much skill with Dust as did his Antonio.

His frown deepened. Not that he'd ever-ever-ever-not-in-a-million-years admit it, he liked being _that_ fairy. The one with a human.

But now there were two.

He hated the number two.

He watched with a surge of disgust as Feliciano fell upon Ludwig's nose in a dainty landing. He hoped to _Dio_ the boy would sneeze.

Ludwig didn't. Feliciano kissed him.

He felt his lips curl over his teeth. Was his brother even _serious?_

He was almost thankful when Ludwig spoke. Feliciano left the boy's nose to flutter beside him, and Antonio's comparison of the two fairies' behavior would have to wait for another time. "Antonio, does Lovino not fly with you?"

 _Yeah, kid. Like that's your business._

"Nah, he doesn't like to fly more than a few seconds. He's weird like that."

He stomped his foot. " _It's your fault, bastard! You're too reckless flying, so I have to babysit you!"_ Not quite the whole story, but definitely close enough.

"Oh, come on, I'm not that bad. You know you prefer to sit with me."

" _Wrong! Watch, I can fly by myself!"_ And with that, he shot off, faster than anyone had ever seen him go.

"Wait for us!" the Spaniard wailed, as he and the others followed.

"Jeez, what's up with him?" Gilbert asked and then de-solidified, which led to a squeak from Alfred and his bolt.

"Wait!" Antonio repeated, but still to no avail.

* * *

 **Do I need to translate anything? No?**

 **Sorry for the erratic and somewhat slow updates. We're going to eventually to have more time to write/edit/update, but so far there hasn't been much time for anything else except for doing the maths.**

 **Salutes to all you mates:**

 **LeParapluie**

 **SonoSvegliato**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well it's been a while, but we're back and with a heck of a chapter to make up for such a longish wait. Lez get crazy, yeah? Sorry this isn't double-spaced and stuff; Google Docs doesn't like me.**

* * *

Alfred leapt up from his spot in the sand. "What took you guys so long?"

"It wasn't a race!" Roderich snapped, the laggard of the group. Lovino slid off the leaf that he'd been resting on and smirked. Antonio had a few minor scratches from branches since he didn't have his fairy to aggressively scold him from doing stupid things.

 _"Moi!"_

They turned their heads to face the Lagoon. A mermaid waved his hand ecstatically. _"Moi,_ Antonio, Lost Boys!"

 _"Hola,_ Tino!" Antonio greeted just as cheerfully, putting up a hand. "We've brought new friend with us!"

Tino clapped his hands together. "Really?" He turned to the merman beside him. "Did you hear that, Berwald? They brought a new friend!"

Berwald gave the humans a once over before making a noncommittal grunt.

Tino ducked under the water and met them at shore. "So exciting! You haven't brought any new friends for us in a while! Who is it? I want to meet him!"

Ludwig stepped from behind Gilbert, only halting in his approach to the end of land when Elizabeta took his arm. "Ah- Hello. Pleasure to meet you."

Tino smiled. Ludwig didn't know what to think of him. Harmless or only acting so? He didn't know, but decided that Elizabeta probably knew a lot more than him.

"Oh, how cute! Look at you; you're so small!" The merman turned to Antonio. "Have you all come to swim?"

 _"Sí, sí._ Is it just you and Berwald today?"

Tino shook his head. "Oh, no." He turned his back to them. _"Lukas! Mathias! Antonio brought a new friend! A new friend!"_

The visitors watched a head appear from the rocks. Dark eyes gave them a glance. They heard the sound of a smack, a "your friends are here", and finally a high pitched screech of _"I didn't piss!"_

Alfred jumped up and down. "Mathias! Mathias!"

"Hey, kid!" Mathias greeted loudly but warmly. A glowing red hand mark stood out from the pale skin of his face. "What 'ave you been up too?"

"Nuthin'. Come on, let's go to the waterfall! I bet I can beat you there!"

"Ya think so? I need evidence."

The Lost Boy went running into the water, splashing loudly and giggling before being abruptly cut off when his feet finally failed to find solid ground.

"Woah, _barn."_ Mathias produced a coughing-but-still-smiling Alfred and set him back on his feet. "Why don't we actually learn how to swim first, before we go drown ourselves in the waterfall?"

"I can _swim."_

"Negative. You can _float,_ little sailor."

"And splash," Roderich added from where he sat in the shade of the trees.

"Like a little mangled fish," Tino sighed dreamily, a far-away look in his eyes. Ludwig wondered if he imagined the whole licking his lips part.

"Come on, Alfred, I'll teach you!" Elizabeta dove into the water with a running start. She let out a shriek of laughter when the cold reached her stomach, and goosebumps prickled as the hair along her arms and legs rose. She broke the surface, flipping her dripping hair over in a pile atop her head. "Look, I'm George Washington!"

"I wanna do it! I wanna do it!" Alfred struggled to get out of Mathias' grasp.

"You can't, silly. You don't have long enough hair."

He pouted. "But I wanted to be George, too."

"I'll teach you how to swim like George." Eliza ducked her head under water and came back up with her hair slicked around the back of her neck. "You're already halfway there with the floating."

"I'll help you dr- swim, Alfred!" Tino exclaimed.

"Er, now that I think about it, little sailor, it might be best if you and Elizabeta take a break. We can learn to swim another time." Mathias looked nervously at Tino and set Alfred up on one of the rocks. "Why don't you run to the waterfall instead?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna beat you, Lizzie!"

"Uh uh. You're too short," she countered, scrambling- dripping- out of the water.

"Well, you're a _girl._ Girls are _slow."_

Elizabeta went off like a shot. "Then prove it!"

Alfred scrabbled after her. "Hey! Cheater!"

"Be careful!" Antonio shouted. "Only fist fights, and not near the water!"

Lovino was dozing off in the sunlight when the light behind his eyes became significantly darker.

 _"Fratello! We should race too!"_ His brother jumped up and down on the leaf, jolting Lovino from his comfortable position. _"I've gotten really good at flying. I bet I can beat you now!"_

A thought passed through the other pixie's head, and he smirked. Lovino had no doubt that his brother could do it; Lovino had been feeling shitty since he'd pulled his stunt. _"Sure, I'll race you. Let's go over the lagoon."_

Feliciano's face paled, just a little. _"The lagoon?"_

 _"Why, where else?"_

 _"We'd be awfully close to the water…"_

 _"Can you not fly over the water?"_

 _"Nonno says I shouldn't. That's for water faires. Water would get my wings wet, and that's dangerous in a lotta different ways."_

Lovino sneered. _"Nonno never told_ me _that. I get close to the water all the time."_

 _"All the time?"_ Feliciano asked stupidly, awestruck.

By the second star to the right, was his brother a parrot? _"Yes, all the time. What if Ludwig wants to fly near the water? Would you tell him no?"_

 _"If he really, really,_ really _wanted to, I guess I'd just have to be super, super careful-"_

Lovino got to his feet and gave his wings a few good test flaps. They were heavy, and for a fleeting moment he wasn't sure he could get of the ground. _"Great. Call this practice. And if you're so worried-"_ his heart tumbled and his stomach flipped- _"Just fly really close to the surface. That way if anything happens, you'll just float."_

Feliciano shifted from foot to foot. _"Are you sure this is safe?"_

 _"'Course it is."_

 _"I think I'll stay near the rocks, if that's okay."_

 _"Fine. We'll go down to the other side of the lagoon, and you can stay close to the rocks. Ready?"_

He saw his brother's wings tense, a tremble running up his small form. His tongue darted out of his mouth and he squinted in the sunlight as if he was calculating how best to lose.

Like his brother could calculate anything.

 _"Ready when you are!"_

He gave him such an innocent look that Lovino's tumbling heart almost stilled. Feliciano surely wasn't this stupid. No, they'd be fine. _"On your mark…get set...GO!"_

Feliciano went shooting off the leaf, and Lovino actually had to hover away to avoid being bounced off it. For the next few seconds, his brother was kissed by the blinding afternoon light, the sun bouncing off his auburn hair and making him look as if he was a tongue of fire itself. He wasn't lying when he said he'd gotten better at flying- though better didn't necessarily mean great, since while he no longer bobbed and tilted the way Lovino remembered, he flew almost angular. He held his wings too high and spread out his limbs as if he was attacking the air rather than gliding through it. Still, he was beautiful. He had always been so goddamn beautiful.

Feliciano was almost to the rocks, flying close to the surface of the water as Lovino had suggested.

And hand shot up. The fairy cried out. Feliciano disappeared.

Not even Lovino really quite knew what happened next.

He would, however, never forget the way Ludwig shouted. He hadn't even known the boy was watching. He stretched his brother's name into a single, hard, hoarse syllable. _"Feliciano!"_

* * *

Antonio had been watching his Lost Boys with a certain amount of satisfaction, a smile on his face. Here they were, having fun, no trouble on the horizon, until Ludwig's voice finally pierced the air in all its harsh urgency. _"Feliciano!"_ was thrown over the water, bounced off the cliffs and radiated outwards, leaving a sudden sense of surprise and anxiety. He started, adrenaline rushing, at Ludwig's cry, his head immediately snapping to the sound of distress. Distress! He refused to have distress.

His eyes quickly took in the scene. He had been watching dazedly, but now he noticed the one, absolutely-positively-alarming factor.

Tino was not in his line of sight.

Time hung suspended. He found his feet pushing off the ground and dashing for Ludwig, who in turn ran further into the water. "Ludwig! Ludwig, stop!"

The boy obeyed, though only for a second. His face was pink with sun, and his eyes were wide with hurry. "Somebody grabbed him," he explained. "He was flying over the water and then he was pulled under." He made to go under himself.

Missing Factor Number One: Tino the Demon Mermaid

Missing Factor Number Two: Feliciano

Oh, _no._ This wasn't good. As much as he hated plans, he hated unpleasant coincidences more. He shot after Ludwig. " _Berwald! Find Tino!"_

Gilbert went crashing out into the sun. "Ludwig! Stay where you are! _Ludwig!_ "

Mathias' head popped up, and not long after that Antonio got a glimpse of Berwald's blue and yellow tail. "What's wrong?"

"We think Tino's got Feli," the Spaniard answered breathlessly.

Berwald broke the surface, blinking at him. "Tino?"

"Yes, yes. Ludwig just went after him. Over there, right by the rocks." He pointed to Ludwig's head, which had just come up for air.

"Do you want me to get Liza and Alfred," Mathias asked, "or stay here?"

"No, no, please stay here, or, wait, yes, please bring them back, I don't know- _ELIZABETA! ALFRED! VENID AQUI AHORA!"_

The two mermen dove back under the water; each in an opposite direction. Antonio exploded off the ground. His heart was beating fast with fear- oh, dios, fear- so his flying was wobbly and disoriented, and he ended up coming to a rolling crash to the water. He came up, choking and coughing, his head swiveling.

There! The top of Ludwig's blonde head. He dove after him, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up. The boy struggled and fought, but Antonio set him on top the rocks.

"Ludwig- Ludwig, listen to me."

"But the merman got him," Ludwig replied robotically. "The mermaid got Feliciano. He's going to- he's going to-"

"Feliciano will be fine," Antonio promised. "Berwald and Mathias can handle this. Stay here."

"No, they're going to hurt him-"

"Feliciano will be fine," he repeated.

Ludwig swallowed. "You can't promise."

A few meters away came an immense splashing. There was some growling and snapping and shouts, and Ludwig's head whipped at the sound. Antonio longed to look too, but instead tapped the boy's cheek.

"Look at me. Ludwig- _Ludwig-_ Look at me."

"Someone's fighting," the boy whispered.

Antonio had lost him. He addressed the silent figure next to him. "Gilbert," he said from the corner of his mouth, "you're botching this up."

"Shit- I mean ship- no, wait, f- hold on, I can- this is hard-" the phantom stammered.

"He's _your_ little brother, right? Keep him on shore."

"Yeah, okay, I can do that."

Ludwig shook his head. "I won't. You can't make me."

 _"Gil."_

"I _got_ it." He materialized and tried to take Ludwig's hand. Ludwig jerked away.

"I'm not moving."

"Yes you are," phantom and Spaniard replied together.

"I'm not."

Gilbert clucked. "No talking back."

"I wasn't-"

"Then do what the nice churro man says and come with me."

Ludwig's eyes were frozen on the upset water. "I apologize for my disobedience."

Gilbert sighed with resignation and heaved him up. The boy scrabbled against his back but, finding no way out, slumped in defeat, his head still turned toward the angry water. "We're going. Good luck, Antonio. I'd salute you if I could."

Antonio nodded. "Make sure the others are okay. Don't let them even _touch_ the water, you hear me? Not a _toe,_ or I'll cut yours off."

"I'm a phantom, you can't just threat-"

 _"GO, GILBERT."_

Gilbert did. Antonio watched him replace Ludwig on shore. Alfred and Eliza had returned, and the Spaniard could see their tearstained faces from there. He looked away quickly.

"They're scared," Mathias stated, arriving.

"Obviously."

"I'm sorry, buddy. You know Tino never really means to cause trouble. Heck, for the most part he's harmless. He's never been successful in drowning anybody. You just have to be careful around him."

Antonio hummed, looking at something else.

"I don't know why he'd try to get that fairy," Mathias continued. "Well, no- I do- he likes sparkly things. I don't know what the fairy was doing so close and so far out over the water."

Antonio nodded, half-paying attention.

"Was he not warned about Tino? Or the lagoon? Why would he be so close?"

Antonio's eyes narrowed, and he turned to face the merman. "We can figure out the details later. I don't know how long fairies can hold their breath."

"Right, but what do you expect to do?"

 _"Me parece claro: tenemos que salvar ese hada."_

"I don't- you fly, my man. You can't breathe under water."

Antonio inhaled through his nose. "I'll do whatever I want, _muchos gracias."_

"An-"

"Three things you should always remember, Mathias." He held up a finger for each one. "Faith. Trust. And Pixie Dust."

* * *

He hoped to God this would work. _He hoped to God._

The water, contrary to how dark it looked from above, was thankfully clear.

Berwald and Tino were engaged in a tumbling wrestling match, the former earnestly trying to get hold of the latter's fist.

"Ha!" his opponent laughed, his voice acquiring a different, bubbly tone under the water. "We never play like this anymore!"

"Let h'm go, T'no."

"What go?"

"Op'n up th' fist."

The merman shook his head. "Uh uh! It's a present! You have to wait until Christmas!"

"Tino," Mathias tried. "That's somebody's fairy."

Tino pouted. "You gave the surprise away!"

"Give me the fairy."

"It's mine!"

"Certainly not. Give it here; you're going to hurt it."

"I found it! You just want it for yourself!" Tino snapped.

"I don't want the fairy," Mathias answered gently. "I just want to return it to his friend. And you want that, too."

"The fairy flew towards me! It wanted me!"

 _"Tino."_

"Mine!" His eyes flashed. "You can't have it."

Mathias latched onto his waving outstretched arm. _"Let go of the fairy! Let. Go."_

"But it's mine," the merman wailed. "It loves me!"

"G've it up, T'no."

"I don't want to play this game anymore! You don't play fair!"

Mathias jerked his head to Antonio. "Feel free to jump in whenever you want. Or, you know, just float there. No, don't pass in front of his face, come around the back-"

Tino waggled. "My fairy!"

"Ludwig's fairy," Antonio clucked, but it came out mostly bubbles. He had the merman's fist in his hand, and a thrill of fear emptied his chest at how tight it was. He prayed Feliciano wasn't crushed. He attempted to pry open the fingers that held the pixie captive, but the nails dug deeper into the palm.

"Would you hurry up?" Mathias hissed. "He's getting bitey."

"I'm trying, I'm trying."

Mathias grabbed Tino's elbow in one hand and his wrist in the other. "Now, then."

Antonio squeezed the merman's fist, and its half-a-second loosening allowed him to dig his fingers under and uncurl the clenched fingers.

Feliciano lay curled in the center of Tino's palm, crumpled and- to the Spaniard's sudden horror- bleeding from where fingernails had dug in. Antonio put him in his own hand as gently and as quickly as he could. "Got 'im!"

"Thank God," Mathias sighed over Tino's sniffles. Antonio shot up towards the surface, paddling towards the rocks while keeping his right hand from getting any more wet.

 _"Antonio!"_ he heard Elizabeth cry. He turned and smiled, holding his hand high.

"It's alright," he shouted to the small group on shore. "It's al-"

Hands circled around the leg he still had in the water, and teeth sank into his calf as he was yanked under.

* * *

He wasn't ready for it. Water flooded into his nose, into his mouth, and he choked, fear coming back in all its hard glory. He kicked at the hands around his leg with his other foot, teeth bared as skin broke.

"You've just got to be f*cking _kidding_ me," Mathias snapped. "Tino, you sonvab- Let _go of him."_

Antonio struggled for air. The water in his lungs made him cough, and the more he coughed the more water he sucked into his lungs. The surface was a blur of evening sun and wave.

 _How perfect; how utterly beautiful,_ he thought to himself, sinking. _Lovino will kill me before I get to him._

He was only half aware of Tino's jaws releasing his leg, of how the merman threw himself back in defeat, crying about his fairy.

Ah, yes. The fairy.

His brain was fuzzy. He thought Mathias might be pulling him through the water. His left leg pulsed. But he held his hand up, just barely more than a fist above the lagoon's ripples.

Hands pulled him up by his armpits from the water and back onto shore. He trembled on his knees, hacking and coughing, trying to heave in breaths of air but finding his chest already full and with water. So he hacked and coughed and choked some more.

"Tonio, Tony, Antonio, hey. Calm down. Calm down. Elizabeta, no, stay back. Antonio, jeez, it was only a little water."

He finally retched up onto the sand and managed one small, difficult breath.

"Ludwig," he heard Gilbert order gently. "You stay back, too. It's alright, he's fine."

"God, I'm sorry," Mathias said twice. Then Antonio heard a splash, signaling his return to the depths.

"Ludwig," Gilbert repeated. "I said don't."

"But he's got Feliciano."

Antonio opened his hand, and there was the sound of a long exhale from Ludwig. He closed his eyes and dropped his head on the dirty grains of sand, concentrating on trying to get his breathing back to normal.

"Oh, no, Feliciano," he heard Ludwig murmur.

He sighed deeply, Gilbert dragging him off the sand away from his own mess.

* * *

Tino sniveled and apologized over and over while Berwald patted his back and Mathias swam circles around them with his hands above his head, shouting and scolding.

Lukas had watched the afternoon occur with at first boredom, then a slight interest, a peak of thrill and now, once it was over, disgust.

He drew rings in the water, his tail swishing back and forth underneath the surface. _A pity, really._ It wasn't every day Neverland got so _dramatic._

He saw a flash of a pale blue tail before he saw his brother's light head pop up.

"I picked up the mackerel," Emil announced plainly.

* * *

 **No regrets whatsoever. Wrote the latter part of this half-awake; most of the stuff I (Sveg) write is when I'm half-awake.**

 _ **Barn-**_ **kid (Danish).**

 ** _"...ELIZABETA! ALFRED! VENID AQUI AHORA!"-_ "... _ELIZABETA! ALFRED! COME HERE NOW!"_ (Spanish).**

 ** _"Me parece claro: tenemos que salvar ese hada."_ \- "It seems clear to me: We have to save that fairy." (Spanish).**

 **We have a little bit of the next chapter done, but still don't count on a regular update ( _lo siento!)._ We've got some more ideas/ a shitty plan, so what could go wrong?**

 **Don't let dem evil muffins get you down, and watch for the clowns:**

 **LeParapluie**

 **SonoSvegliato**


	6. Chapter 6

**So sorry for for the long wait and sporadic updates!**

* * *

"Antonio, look at me. Look at me. Look at me."

He _was_ looking at him.

"Hey, _look at me."_

"I am, Gilbert."

Elizabeta swiped at her nose and shook her head. "N-no you're-you're n-not."

"Stop breathing so goddamn fast."

"I _can't."_

"What d'ya mean you- FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO, JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK MY FACE IS? Look me right in the eyes."

"Why?"

"Because you're breathing like a horse, that's why."

"I'm _not."_ He heaved himself up on his elbows, and despite how his head spun he smiled. "See? I'm fine."

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Tino bit you."

He looked at the little red rivulets running down his leg in surprise. "Oh. I hadn't noticed."

Elizabeta swiped at her nose. "Y-You don't notice hardly anything."

Alfred sobbed. "Ithough'tha'youweregonnadieandthen i'dbeallaloneandand-" He hiccupped, his words barely comprehensible as cluttered as they were.

Antonio forced a smile on his face. "I'm alright, Alfredo! Don't cry, it makes me sad."

Alfred merely wiped away the snot nearing his lips. His waterworks show did not stop.

"Look, Alfred! I'll give you a cheer-up charm! Fusosososo~"

The boy managed a choked laugh and a weak smile.

"See, estamos bien, sí?" the Spaniard surveyed the small cluster surrounding him.

"Er...not quite," Gilbert glanced behind him. "It appears that the commotion was too much for your little aristocrat."

"Oh no, Roddy!" Elizabeta cried, rushing to the unconscious, prostate boy. His gangly limbs were splayed every which way across the stones as if he had fainted like a dramatic noblewoman. Elizabeta gingerly picked up his glasses and placed them on his face and patted his pale cheeks. "Wake up, Roddy! Wake up!"

"Drama queen," Gilbert mumbled, refering to Roderich.

"Bruder," Ludwig murmured with dismay. No one would have been able to tell that the little boy was shaken except for his trembling hands which cupped Feliciano so gingerly that one would have thought that the fairy was made of most precious glass.

Even though that everyone seemed to be (or would be) fine, Antonio was still on edge. He tapped his index finger against his lips. "Something's missing…"

He stilled as he came to a realization. "LOVINO!" he shouted, making the group jump. "Where's Lovino?"

"L-lovi!" Alfred sniffled, calling for the other fairy. "L-lovi!"

Lovino shrank back into the tree, the trunk against his back. He didn't hear anything.

" _Lo-_ vi- _no!"_

" _Lovino!"_

He'd make a run for it. Fly off. Or pretend he hadn't a clue as to what had just happened. But he needed an alibi...he was sleeping. Yeah, he was taking a siesta.

" _Lovino,"_ he heard Antonio plead. "Come here. Let us know you're safe."

He bit his lip and went into nervous flight. He saw with a jolt that the Sausage Boy held a crumpled Feliciano close to his chest.

His human was on the ground, leaning on Gilbert's leg, blood trickling through his ripped pants. Alfred and Elizabeta were just behind him, bringing a swaying Roderich to his feet. He saw no sign of the mermen.

He came to a halt on a branch just above them. Antonio's gaze hardened, and he cursed himself right then and there for not flying off in the opposite direction.

"Lovi," he began. His nickname didn't sound so friendly anymore. Almost as if Antonio was sentencing him to death. He spoke low. "Do you know what happened here?"

After a split second of decision, he shook his head. " _Nope. What did you do, try to run across the rocks? Stupid bastard."_

"Feliciano flew over the water and Tino got him. Did you really not see it?"

Another furtive shake of the head. The children were beginning to look curiously at him, and he reddened.

"Are you sure?" Antonio asked. His eyes flashed. Antonio's eyes never flashed unless he was being serious. "Feliciano is hurt."

Lovino thought it best to keep his mouth shut.

"Didn't you hear me?" Of course he had. "You're brother is hurt. Do you not care?"

He pursed his lips and turned his head away.

"Lovino. Look at me."

He did. Slowly, he turned his head back.

"Why would Feliciano be flying across the water? It's dangerous. You know that. Why didn't you warn him about Tino?"

Goddamn Spaniard, asking him questions he already knew answers to. It was humiliating.

"What did you do?"

Speaking to him as if he were a dog.

"Did you tell Feliciano to fly over the water?"

His alibi stuck in his throat, and he found his head betraying him as he gave the tiniest of nods. He had never truly been good at lying.

Antonio looked at him with such disappointment it made his stomach twist. "Oh, Lovi. What have you done?"

He hated those words. Hated them, hated them, hated them. He had heard them before and thought he never would have to again. His eyes strayed to Feli, cupped in Ludwig's hands, just beginning to shiver.

"You endangered your brother, you endangered the children, you endangered Mathias and Tino and Berwald, you even endangered me. What do you have to say about it?"

Nothing that would matter.

Antonio shook his head with a sigh. "I can't have this."

 _Yes,_ Lovino thought. _Yes, you can. We're...we're...something._

"It pains me to say this, but…"

When Antonio again met his eyes, he felt the world still. A chill prickled up his spine and he could hear blood pumping in his ears.

"No tomatoes tomorrow."

"No tomatoes!" Gilbert spluttered. "Tino could have killed you because of him, and you're grounding him from _tomatoes?"_

"Fine. You're banished for life."

"Oh, no!" Ludwig exclaimed. "Not for life! I'm positive it was just a terrible accident, an awful misunderstanding…"

"Okay, a week then." He waggled a finger at the fairy. "Lovino, you're banished from me and the Lost Boys for a week."

A mixture of hurt and fear pooled into his stomach. It came out as rage.

He stomped his foot and jangled and shed a shower of dust. He fluttered about and shouted as loud as a fairy could.

"There's no changing it," Antonio replied. "Go on, now. Shoo."

His fists clenched at his sides. The bastard didn't want him anymore? Fine, then! What did he care?

In fact, he was more than happy to whirl around and go zooming into the sky.

* * *

 ***Rubs hands together* _Lovino my precious trash bebe._**

 **Huge thanks to everybody who's read, reviewed, favorited and followed! You guys are the MVPs :D**

 **xxLeParapluie**

 **xxSonoSvegliato**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well we haven't updated in a while - whoops XD sorry. Happy New Year, though!**

 **BEFORE NOTE: No idea what Seborga's human name is, so we named him Sebastian. It was between that and Willie for no reason.**

* * *

At first, he didn't notice his decline in altitude. It was only when a tree near hit him in face when he realized his wings were failing him. A new breeze and he was sent careening to the ground, bumping against branches and sticks and leaves and stones. He scratched his face and scuffed his hands and bruised his butt.

" _No!"_ He pulled at his wings, struggling to get off the ground. " _You stop when I tell you to!"_ He strained upwards, but alas, his wings betrayed him. Lovino cursed towards the sky; now he was going to have to walk to the Tree. He jangled in a fit of rage, but then thought better of it once he realized the reality of his situation. A grounded fairy was an easy meal for a damn bird or frog or whatever. He seethed instead, his face going tomato red.

It was going to be a long day. And probably night.

* * *

Lovino almost cried in relief when he finally hauled himself to the front entrance of the Tree. His arms and face were covered in scratches and bruises and his feet hurt from walking so much; his mental stability was drained as for the whole time he was whipping around at any hint of noise or shadow. He edged around back, dodging around every spot of light, before laying a hand on the knob of the lowest door. Light seeped out through the crack. There was a triangle of yellow as he opened the door, planning on sneaking in and out.

Lovino almost stepped right back outside. Of course, _of course_ this day would get worse.

"Ah, fratello, you haven't been here in awhile!"

Lovino ignored his other brother and closed the door. "I need a refill."

"Well sure!" Sebastian cried, and the other fairy cringed at the noise. "I'm surprised you lasted this long. Grandpa used to always get on you about being so wasteful with Dust-" He gasped. "Grandpa! Oh, he'll be thrilled to see you!"

"No! No, no one needs to know I was here. Not even that old fart."

Sebastian ignored him, twirling. "Grandpa was so upset when you left, so upset! You really shouldn't have said so many of those nasty things to him."

"He made fucking Feliciano heir to the throne," he grumbled, and stopped at that. His damn traitorous voice was getting shaky.

"So?" Sebastian asked aloud, moving to the large cauldron and taking hold of the long pole sticking out of it. "I like being the Dust Stirrer." To prove his point, he gave the golden mixture a stir and smiled. Sparkling steam rose up towards the ceiling.

"I'm no sucker."

His brother looked at him with wide eyes, and Lovino noticed with a pang of guilt that his lip trembled. "A-a sucker?"

"No! No, no, I didn't mean you. Dust Stirrers are important. Very important. It's a Royal Assignment. You wanted to be a Dust Stirrer since you were little."

Sebastian beamed.

"But I wanted-" Lovino stopped, and then scuffed the ground. He didn't specifically want to be heir to a throne- he wouldn't have cared if they were the poorest creatures on the face of the planet- all he wanted was to appease Grandpa Romulus.

But instead he fucked up court letters and dances and social things in general. He spilt a whole inkwell over Royal Decrees when he was trying to clean his grandfather's office. He had to write them all over, and then over again when his handwriting wasn't up to satisfaction. The only reason he didn't rewrite them a third time was because Romulus had deemed legible handwriting impossible. He tried to copy his grandfather's fancy writing, he really had, but all of the perfect curving lines in his head became chicken scratch on the page.

He always ended up such a fucking disappointment. That's why Grandpa made Feliciano heir instead of him after Sebastian had opted to be the old Dust Stirrer's apprentice.

"Grandpa gave you a Royal Assignment, too."

Lovino's teeth clacked down.

"You were supposed to be Feliciano's personal assistant."

He gagged and crossed his arms. "And how appetizing that is!"

Sebastian tilted his head. "Say, where is Feli?"

He swallowed. "He's somewhere."

"So he _did_ find you! He went off after Grandpa got sick."

"Grandpa's...sick?"

"He wouldn't stop crying after you left." He gave the cauldron another stir and dipped his finger into mix, an absent smile on his face. "He cried and cried and cried and cried-"

"I get it, dumbass."

"-and cried and cried and then he got sick. I think you hurt him really bad."

"He doesn't hear enough shit. He deserves everything I said."

"Whatever you say." He grabbed three large pouches and began filling them full with Pixie Dust. "But he's in his room, if you want to know."

"I didn't want to know." He cupped his hands and slid them into the Dust before showering himself in gold. His wings twitched, and he gave them a few test flutters.

"At least let me know where you were. You smell disgusting." His brother wrinkled his nose. "Like spaghetti left out too long."

"You're smelling yourself, idiot."

Sebastian placed the pouches of Dust carefully in a pack, which he weighed down Lovino with. "Can I really not tell Grandpa that you were here?"

"No."

"Please?"

" _No."_

Sebastian gave him his best puppy eyes. _Shit._ He and Feliciano were so good at it. "Then you'll tell him yourself?"

"Maybe," he snapped, and left with a slam of the door behind him.

He stood outside against the bark of the Tree, thinking. It was pretty late- he was surprised Sebastian had even been up. So maybe Grandpa was asleep. He had to be asleep, probably in a deep sleep if he really was sick. King Romulus's love for siestas was well-known.

He could sneak up to his room, say something, and then leave without anybody having to know.

He nodded to himself. Yes, that could work. He bent his knees and pushed off the ground. His wings cramped with so much use (he normally opted for Antonio's shoulder for transportation; though getting the human to fly cost a shitload of Dust), and he flew up the height of the Tree, skipping over all the lights and windows before stopping before the highest door.

He opened it softly, peering in. Light was shed onto the floor and over the sheets of his Grandpa's bed. He heard deep snoring and decided he was safe.

He inched closer to the King's bedside. He let his hand touch his skin, for only a moment, only to check. Romulus' skin was clammy and warm. A fever, perhaps?

He leaned in awkwardly and whispered, " _Mi dispiace che sei un po 'cagna."_

The man made a deep, shuddering breath, and Lovino turned to go when a hand caught his arm.

"Lovi!" Nonno cried, pulling him into a tight embrace. Lovino struggled in his grip.

"Let me go, you asswipe! You're supposed to be sick!"

"I just wanted you to feel bad for me and visit."

He scowled, trying to push his arms off him. "Go to hell."

"Oh, so vulgar," Nonno whined, and Lovino's lip curled.

"You're drunk."

"It was only a little bottle of wine. Your being gone made me so sad! Why would you do that to your Nonno?"

He struggled to keep everything under control, and starting bucking.

"Where is Feliciano?"

"I don't know," he managed. "I'm not his babysitter."

"Lovino, he could be hurt!"

"And you don't care if I am?"

"You don't look hurt to me."

"If Feliciano's hurt, it's his own fault, not mine."

"You're his brother-"

"His _older_ brother!"

"Oh, Lovino, you're not still angry about that, are you? Stop being so dramatic about it, I was only making the right choice for Neverland."

He finally pushed his grandfather away and went shooting out the window before he let himself burst into stupid, messy tears. Even worse, they weren't even angry tears, or guilty tears, or just regular upset tears.

Bastard Nonno. Lovino was almost worried about him back there.

* * *

 **" _Mi dispiace che sei un po 'cagna." -_ Basically along the lines of "I'm sorry you're such a little bitch". (According to Google Translate. Italian.)**

 **And it's canon that Lovino bursts into tears when ever he sees Grandpa Rome, so that's why he's crying. I don't know if that was obvious or not.**

 **Next up: SEALAND CLAIMS CAPTAINCY.**


End file.
